Chase Lewis
November 2023
Los Angeles, California

  "MAN YOU trippin' Chanel, fuckin' bogus as hell." He pushed the older woman out of his face but she kept trying to block his path.

"No you keep trying to take my damn son from me! I should smack you dumb ass boy," His mom— Chanel pushed his shoulder, and it took everything in him not to sock her.

"Back up off me cuh. You don't take care of my fucking brother, look at his face dawg!" He pointed to Wyatt, who was sitting in the corner with his ears covered.

Her face softened when she saw how broken Wyatt looked, poor baby was just tired of all the chaos.

"You let them niggas you fuck with drug yo' head out too much. You got my blood over here with his face fucked up cause of your mistakes. You a grown ass woman and letting weirdos beat on your son cause you too dick thirsty to say anything??"

The vein in his forehead started popping out as he continued yelling, and slamming his hand on the wall.

"Nah cuh. You not finna fuck up his life like you did to me. I'm takin' him, and you better keep hiding that pussy nigga from me. Cause if I see him.. it's wraps."

He decided to not go any further because he didn't know how much longer he could restrain himself.

He saw how much he was triggering Wyatt, and that's the last thing he wanted to do.

"Okay okay you're right.. I'll do better. Just please don't take him from me, he's all I have!" She begged with tears and snot dripping down her face, as she ran her hands through her hair.

Chase looked at her with nothing but disgust as he grabbed Wyatt's little body and placed him on his hip.

"Ion care about none of that Chanel. You're unstable and you can't take care of him, I'll die before I leave him here with your dumb ass again." That was all he said before heading to Wyatt's room and packing some clothes for him.

The small boy sat on the bed with a stream of tears running down his chubby cheeks. He felt the tears burn his open wounds, only causing more pain.

"Chase I hate when it's loud.. you scared me down there." Wyatt mumbled, his usual bubbly energy no where to be found.

"I'm sorry lil man, I'll make it up to you ight?" Chase grabbed the small boy's hand and placed it over his heart.

"Okay, only if you get me McDonalds!" He clapped his hands together, a little bit of his energy flying back to him.

Chase chuckled lowly and patted his younger brother's head, "How would you feel about coming to live wit' me?"

Wyatt's blue eyes lit up, and before he knew it he was jumping up and down. "Oh gosh yes! Finally!"

The smile on Chase's face was probably the most genuine one he'd ever had. Wyatt never failed to warm his cold heart.

His little brother was the only thing he kept fighting for. The only thing that actually mattered.

"Aw hell nah that bitch must be crazy," Tino scrunched up his face and adjusted his glasses.

A/N: we love nerdy hood niggas okhayyy?

"That's what I'm sayin' yo! Got my brother walkin' around with his face fucked up," He felt himself getting heated all over again at the reminder.

Wyatt couldn't go to school for at least week, or else they'd call CPS. And that's the last thing he needed.

He was already working on a case to claim custody of his younger brother, but he had some shit that needed to be handled first.

"And she ain't tell you who the nigga that did it is?"

"Nah. But I'm gon' find out, hoe got me fucked up thinking I wasn't gon' slide for my brother,"

Tino shook his head, he was mad too. Him and Wyatt were like brothers too so this hit him hard. "Nah you know I got you wit hunting him down. Just need a name,"

Chase nodded before dabbing him up, "Preciate you brother, I'm gone find out about the-"

"Who the fuck ate all my go gurts!" Wyatt came storming in, stomping his feet with the empty box of yogurt in his hand.

"Tch man here this lil nigga go cussing, beat his ass Chase." Tino gasped, watching the little boy flicked him off

"You better get that white ass baby he just flicked me off too!"

Chase shook his head before giving Wyatt a cold glare. If he had a penny for everytime that little boy cursed.. he'd be rich.

"Stop fucking cussing lil man, what I tell you 'bout that?" Chase decided not to pop him this time because he'd already been through enough today.

The boy rolled his eyes, throwing the yogurt box at Tino's head. "Well I can't help it.. you guys make me so mad!"

"I know this bastard ain't just throw no box at me??" Tino looked around the room, eyes almost popping out of his head. "And you just gone let him do that shit?"

Chase glared at his brother for a second time, "You need to work on controlling yo' anger kid. Stop being mean to Tino,"

"Fuck a nigga named Tino!" Wyatt smiled while clapping his hands together, chanting it repeatedly.

Chase couldn't stop the chuckle falling from his lips even if he wanted to, the look on his friend's face had him rolling.

"What's funny cunt? You need to beat his damn ass." He mumbled before sticking his tongue out at the small boy.

Wyatt rolled his eyes and flicked him off for a last time before settling down on his ipad.

"Fuckin ipad warrior bastard."

Chase sighed at how much the two of them argued. Sometimes it was like Tino was just a toddler in a grown man's body.. "You argue with him like y'all the same age,"

"I don't give a flying fuck. I fight kids too nigga!"

━━━━━━

Chase let out a soft sigh before taking a hit of the he had pre-rolled. He was stressed about what happened to Wyatt, and his mom was no help.

Anytime he tried to question her about the man who did it, she went completely silent. Chase didn't understand why she was so insistent on defending someone who hurt her child.

If it wasn't for him arriving there when he did.. Wyatt's condition would probably be even worse.

From the looks of it, the poor kid was getting beat on every time he went home to his mom. Chase decided to do a check on his body to see if anything else was hurt.. and all he saw were bruises and scar marks.

He clenched his fist at the memory of it. His defenseless little brother— battered and bruised for no good reason. It wasn't fair. Wyatt didn't deserve any of it.

"I wish there was a way I could take all his pain from him.." Chase mumbled as tears formed in his eyes but he didn't dare let them fall. He hated crying.

Wyatt's childhood was somewhat similar to his own, and that's what hurt him the most. Chase had it really rough growing up.. the only thing he wanted to do was prevent any of it from happening to his younger brother.

His brother was his whole world.. the only thing he lived for. He couldn't help but feeling like he failed him in a way..

He should've got Wyatt out of that house way sooner, it was his own fault for waiting so long to take action.

Chase ran his hands through his hair as he continued to analyze all his thoughts. It was so overwhelming, carrying the burden of something so heavy. He couldn't imagine how Wyatt felt right now.

"Fuck I need to calm down," all of this stress was slowly triggering his panic attacks, and that's the last thing he needed right now.

He didn't know why.. but for some reason when he thought of calming down, his mind drifted to her.

That's why when he pulled out his phone to text his brother's teacher, he had no regrets.

hey

Ms. Hanes
chase? uh hello

this is really random
i know

Ms. Hanes
yeah it is..

Ms. Hanes
do you mind me asking
why you're texting me?

i just needed someone
to talk to

but mb ill leave you alone
now

Ms. Hanes
nope you're fine, if
you just need someone to
talk to then.. im here i guess

lol you sure? don't wanna
bother you

Ms. Hanes
no it's okay i swear.
umm so let's talk?

you're so awkward. it's
lowk comforting

Ms. Hanes
is that a compliment or??
and what does "lowk" mean?

don't worry it's a
compliment :) and it
means lowkey.

like ima keep it real

Ms. Hanes
oh then thank you,
you're not that bad to talk to
either.

Ms. Hanes
and thanks for explaining.

no problem

im glad 😂, i've been thinking
about you a lot since the movies

Ms. Hanes
oh.. yea i had a lot of fun,
we can do it again sometime
i guess

you say i guess a lot, how
about we go to the waterpark
when wyatt's no longer sick?

Ms. Hanes
um ive only said
it twice 🙂‍↔️ and sounds
good.

Ms. Hanes
oh poor wyatt, i hope he
recovers soon

that ugly ass emoji dawg 🤦🏽‍♂️ he's
getting better day by day. should
be back at school soon.

Ms. Hanes
good the school's boring
without him, and
yikes.. hater alert

let's call? i don't like texting
read

authors note
this chapter was booty but i tried
guys 😕